School bus beating near SL? (Hazelwood, Jackson: crime, attorney, house)

[STLMetro]

I think this is an unfortunate event and that's all. Too many people on both sides of the issue are quick to point to race (this incident above, the "you lie" outburst). When I was in high school, these things happened. Fights occurred. And in my inmaturity, I cheered. I think that is what we are witnessing here, a bunch of immature kids who took things too far and beat up a "nerd". Is it right? Absolutely not and the school and police should punish them. But to say it is something beyond this is strickly emotions taking over. Could there be racism? Perhaps, but there is no way to confirm that. I believe it is more about backgrounds than color. Culture trumps color every day.

[OA 5599]

Originally Posted by STLMetro

I think this is an unfortunate event and that's all. Too many people on both sides of the issue are quick to point to race (this incident above, the "you lie" outburst). When I was in high school, these things happened. Fights occurred. And in my inmaturity, I cheered. I think that is what we are witnessing here, a bunch of immature kids who took things too far and beat up a "nerd". Is it right? Absolutely not and the school and police should punish them. But to say it is something beyond this is strickly emotions taking over. Could there be racism? Perhaps, but there is no way to confirm that. I believe it is more about backgrounds than color. Culture trumps color every day.

Great post. I went to school in a rural, conservative, isolated area of Missouri that is over 95% white, and similar incidents still occurred. Bullies would taunt and sometimes assault weaker children...such things, while horrible, have been going on everywhere for a very long time. It likely has nothing to do at all with race and certainly has nothing to do with the "liberals" being in charge. In my immaturity, I also watched a few fights as a spectator without intervening. Something I now regret.

I feel sorry for that kid, however....he got the snot beat out of him. Apparently he walked off the school bus without a problem when it arrived at school. I agree 100% that the assailants should be charged to the full extent of the law...they committed a very violent act, regardless of the circumstances.

[Marksman84]

Originally Posted by STLMetro

. Culture trumps color every day.

You cannot expect any semblance of culture among the ignorant/undereducated. This is another case of bullying. The instigators should be expelled and sent to juvy to get a dose of their own medicine.

[skidamarink]

And that story should not be shocking to anyone. Come on, it's Belleville West they're talking about.

[STLMetro]

Originally Posted by Marksman84

You cannot expect any semblance of culture among the ignorant/undereducated. This is another case of bullying. The instigators should be expelled and sent to juvy to get a dose of their own medicine.

I think you are misinterpretting my use of culture. I stole these definitions from wikipedia, but these are the three common definitions of culture.

• excellence of taste in the fine arts and humanities, also known as high culture
• an integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for symbolic thought and social learning
• the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group.

It appears you are using the first while I was using the third. I was referring to the culture of a neighborhood and the attitudes and beliefs within. These kids probably are growing up in a culture where these types of activities are attractive. It is just like North St. Louis. The culture in these neighborhoods is what is keeping the area down, not because one color of people presides there.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by STLMetro

I think you are misinterpretting my use of culture. I stole these definitions from wikipedia, but these are the three common definitions of culture.

• excellence of taste in the fine arts and humanities, also known as high culture
• an integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for symbolic thought and social learning
• the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group.

It appears you are using the first while I was using the third. I was referring to the culture of a neighborhood and the attitudes and beliefs within. These kids probably are growing up in a culture where these types of activities are attractive. It is just like North St. Louis. The culture in these neighborhoods is what is keeping the area down, not because one color of people presides there.

You NAILED that! Very good observation!!!!!

[zach_33]

Not very good PR for Belleville West High School. I feel for the kid, and his parents, too-- I don't even want to think about the emotions I would would feel seeing my own son get beaten up like that. Who wants to send their kid to a school where taking a bud ride becomes more like navigating a prison yard? Jeez.

[Marksman84]

Originally Posted by STLMetro

I think you are misinterpretting my use of culture. I stole these definitions from wikipedia, but these are the three common definitions of culture.

• excellence of taste in the fine arts and humanities, also known as high culture
• an integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for symbolic thought and social learning
• the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group.

It appears you are using the first while I was using the third. I was referring to the culture of a neighborhood and the attitudes and beliefs within. These kids probably are growing up in a culture where these types of activities are attractive. It is just like North St. Louis. The culture in these neighborhoods is what is keeping the area down, not because one color of people presides there.

Actually, I was indeed referring to third definition of culture, which sounds like a definition straight out of a left-leaning Sociology book. If you re-read my statement, the very next sentence is "This is another case of bullying." Bullying is performed by insecure boneheads who have no positive "values, goals and practices."
I don't care what their socioeconmic background, color, race, religion, or local values/mores dictate - the mob mentality is wrong and (1) the instigators should be severely punished. Not reprimanded, punished, as in kicked out of school with no chance of reinstatement, let the losers die working at McDonalds or Subway; (2) the idiot kids that sat there passively and did not come to the targeted kid's aid are completely void of any character or intelligence.
We are becoming a nation of indifferent, negligent, self-centered lemmings.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by Marksman84

Actually, I was indeed referring to third definition of culture, which sounds like a definition straight out of a left-leaning Sociology book. If you re-read my statement, the very next sentence is "This is another case of bullying." Bullying is performed by insecure boneheads who have no positive "values, goals and practices."
I don't care what their socioeconmic background, color, race, religion, or local values/mores dictate - the mob mentality is wrong and (1) the instigators should be severely punished. Not reprimanded, punished, as in kicked out of school with no chance of reinstatement, let the losers die working at McDonalds or Subway; (2) the idiot kids that sat there passively and did not come to the targeted kid's aid are completely void of any character or intelligence.
We are becoming a nation of indifferent, negligent, self-centered lemmings.

marksman, you rail against what is happening, but offer no solutions, whats up with that?

[Marksman84]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

marksman, you rail against what is happening, but offer no solutions, whats up with that?

You won't like my solutions. They're pretty extreme. They involve:

(1) Parent(s) taking responsibilty for their childrens' behavior and not expecting teachers/principals to be babysitters.
(2) At the same time, the Boards of Education need to yank the proverbial thumbs out of you-know-where and mandate that each school K-12, whether it's public, private or even the school of the arts have a zero tolerance policy for bullying/violence of this nature, have each student/parent sign a binding document proclaiming such, and enforce it! If a kid, unprovoked, choses to beat on someone, he/she is out of school forever. No exceptions. Make them an example. The courts come back with "He/she's just a kid?" Too bad.
(3) Get kids off of mood/behavior altering pills and send them to boot camp, juvenile detention, whatever NATUAL method of behavior modifications are out there to get the aggression out of them. Send them to the gym, put on the gloves and headgear, and let them have a go at it.
(4) None of us can change the media, but let's face it - if we could get rid of certain songs, movies and video games - there may be less violent tendencies. I'm Libertarian and oppose most censorship, but I make exceptions when it comes to children's well-being.

And yes, we have a six-year-old daughter who is bright, polite and respectful. She is one of the few kids in her class that consistently says "Please" and "Thank You." Most of her classmates are self-absorbed, mannerless brats (although after meeting some of their parents, my wife and I see were they get that idiotic behavior from).